Things I Said I’d Never Do As a Mom… Until I Did Them

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned during my time as a parent is that things don’t always go as you think they will.

Motherhood is humbling in so many ways and I’ve eaten my words on more than one occasion. Maybe some of you can relate? Here are a few things I said I’d never do… until I did them.

Have Labor Induced
Looking back, I realize how completely ridiculous it was to think that I could control much about birth, but I can still remember trading horror stories about induction with friends early in my pregnancy. It was pretty much the one thing I was adamant wasn’t going to happen. And guess what? I went past my due date with both children and ended up being induced both times. And guess what else? Both births were uncomplicated and resulted in healthy babies. Moral of the story: Find a good doctor and trust her/him to do what is best for you and your child.

Revolve My Schedule Around Nap Time, etc.
My husband and I had grand plans to fit our children into our lives instead of vice versa. And, I’ll admit, when it was just one kid it was a little easier to go about our slightly adjusted routines (once we got a hang of parenting). My daughter slept great on the go, so she didn’t slow us down too much. Then, we had a second kid and our world turned upside down. For my son, changes in routine didn’t go over as well. We had to prioritize nap time in a way we hadn’t with my daughter. Different kids need different things and part of being a parent is adjusting to their needs.

Let My Children Eat Junk
I used to think that my children would grow up healthy eaters because they simply wouldn’t be exposed to junk food. In the first year of my daughter’s life, she primarily ate organic home-pureed baby food and her enthusiasm for fruits and veggies made me prematurely smug. I was convinced I had this food thing figured out. Flash forward and my children beg me to go to McDonald’s pretty much every day. While we try to provide mostly healthy options, if they had their way my children would eat hot dogs or french fries every single day. So enjoy it while you can, because at some point, your children will discover Doritos and chicken nuggets and you’ll be begging them to eat their veggies just like all the rest of us.

Make Separate “Kid Food”
And, while we’re on eating… I always said the kids would eat what we eat. This is one that I’m still somewhat firm on: I’m a not a short order cook! But, I make exceptions for things I know my kids don’t like. It isn’t worth the battle to try to get my daughter to eat a plate full of spaghetti squash (which, by the way, she used to LOVE), so I make her a sandwich instead and have her try at least one bite of the spaghetti squash. A little compromise can go a long way.

Use Electronics as a BabysitterBabysitter is a strong word, but let’s face it, sometimes we just need something to keep our kids occupied for a few minutes. Nothing hypnotizes a two-year-old quite like a 23 minute episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. And that’s the perfect amount of time to get dinner started. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.

Let Toys Take Over My Home
I seriously thought that my children’s toys could be contained to their space. If you saw the current state of my home, you’d know just how laughable this is. It feels like we are in a never-ending battle getting toys back into the playroom and out of the common spaces. Sigh. We’ll miss the toy tornado someday, right?

The list goes on… I could continue, but the TV show occupying my children is ending and they are begging for ice cream. #Priorities.

What things did you end up doing differently than you thought you would? We’re all just trying to get by. Let’s commiserate together, mamas.

About Faith

Faith McGrain thought Columbus would be a pit stop on the road to someplace warmer, but she and her husband (Matt) quickly fell in love with this city. Six years and two kids later, they're still finding plenty of new adventures in and around central Ohio.
Faith works full-time as a communications professional, but her favorite role is being mom to her two energetic children, Tenley (4) and Levi (2).
Faith delights in life's simple pleasures: good food, good coffee and good friends. She is a storyteller by nature and dabbles in blogging at Faith Illuminated. She is passionate about living out her faith through simple actions to add more joy to the world.